It what must be deemed sensational news, yesterday German president Joachim Gauck warned that widespread US surveillance of European communications poses a danger to democracy.
President Gauck is from East Germany. He was involved in the demonstrations leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and from 1990 until 2000 he was in charge of the former Stasi files.
Yesterday he said: "To be honest, I have considered whether I can still telephone or mail openly.
"I do it, but I never would have thought that the fear could arise again in Germany, that private communication is no longer possible."
He also said that Edward Smowden's decision to go public deserves respect.
"Whoever makes this information public for reasons of conscience deserves respect."
These are truly incredible words coming from the President of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The Germans are sensitive of state surveillance, Mr Gauck said, becasue of their experience of secret police in nazi germany and then in East Germany.
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